Page 58 of Second Chances

Twice.

A third time.

He looks down at the tablets and then at me.

“You’re not the woman I thought you were. I’ve no idea how wrong I could be.”

With the lid still off he throws the tablets at me, and I fall to the floor and scramble to collect them while Ryan looks on with disappointment written all over his face. I don’t need him though. As long as I have my medication, I’ll be fine. I’ll find money from somewhere. I’ll sell my apartment and buy something smaller.

“Get out,” Ryan orders me, and I look at him.

“Don’t worry. I’m going,” I spit back at him and walk toward the door. As I do, my head starts to spin and sharp shooting pains erupt down the left side of my body and radiate into my chest. My breath falters, and I find it hard to expel air from my lungs. I turn back to Ryan, gasping for air. His eyes widen, and he races to my side as I collapse on the floor, clutching hard at my heart.

“Can’t breathe.” I struggle to get the words out. “Help me.”

“Elena, hold on,” Ryan whispers into my ear, and the last thing I hear is him calling for an ambulance.

* * *

Machines bleep around me as I come back into consciousness. My chest hurts but not as bad as before. When I open my eyes, I see a room full of people: Ryan is beside the bed holding my hand, Sophie and Grayson are behind him, Amy is on my other side, her eyes red-rimmed from tears, James is next to her with a worried expression on his face, and Matthew and Sonia are sitting a bit farther back with Miranda and Pete. My mouth feels dry, and when I try to speak, I find a tube inserted into it. I immediately start to panic, and it sends the machines around me crazy with alarms.

“Ryan.” I try to call for him but only garbled sounds come out.

All the others must leave the room because the next thing I know, I’m surrounded by doctors and nurses, and they’re pulling the tube from my throat.

“Stay calm, Miss Lopez,” one of the doctors instructs, but I want to get off the bed and tell them to leave me alone. I struggle against them until Ryan steps up to the head of the bed and holds my shoulders down.

Even upside down, his stare is imposing, and I make myself go calm in the bed and let the doctors and nurses finish their tasks. I don’t think Ryan stops staring at me the entire time he holds me down. His eyes are dark, the color they go when he’s in full-on Dom mode. He doesn’t say anything just captures me in his spell, and I fall, completely hypnotized. I don’t even sense the medical team in the room anymore. All I can see is the love in the eyes of the man pleading with me to survive.

Eventually, Ryan moves away and sits down next to me. He holds my hand and squeezes it. I turn my head to look at the machines surrounding me, and the sensors attached to them, which go under my hospital gown and are monitoring my heart.

“What happened?” I roll my head back to face Ryan, and it’s then I see the tears in his eyes, pouring out the love he holds for me. It’s the most emotion I’ve ever seen from a man before.

“You had a heart attack.” He moves his free hand to my chest and places it over my heart. “They don’t think you’ve done any permanent damage, but you were lucky.”

“I’m only thirty. How is it possible?” It’s a lot for my brain to take in.

How can I have possibly had a heart attack?

“The drugs, Elena, and the excessive exercise—it all put too much stress on you. Your body couldn’t cope and shut down.”

“I had a heart attack?” My eyes water.

“You did.”

“I was in so much pain. I thought I needed the tablets. I don’t understand.” I bring my other hand to take his. I’m confused and tired. Nothing makes sense except Ryan holding me.

“I should have spotted something was wrong with you. I noticed the weight loss and exercising, but you hid the drugs too well. It was only when Amy said about the money I knew it must be something more. You should have come to me.”

“Oh god, I stole from my best friend.” A moment of clarity hits me. Two thousand pounds! I took from her business and would have taken more if she’d not discovered it. “Is she angry? Will she tell the police?”

“No, she’s not angry at all. She’s distraught and worried sick about you. We know the Elena without the addiction wouldn’t do this. You went through so much, and we didn’t give you the support you needed.” Ryan brings my hand up to his mouth and kisses my fingers. “I’m sorry, Elena.”

“No, this isn’t your fault. I just became so worried about losing another career because of an injury. It’s so stupid. I didn’t need to worry. I’ve got you and my friends this time. I’m so stupid.”

I burst fully into tears and cry hard into Ryan’s shoulder. He gently lifts me up into his arms, and together we start the healing process from the lies that have threatened to destroy our relationship. At least I hope that’s what we’re doing. I don’t think I could bear to lose him.

“What happens now?” I’m scared to ask, but I know I have to. If he’s going to walk away from me, then I’m going to have to prepare myself because it might just destroy my already damaged heart.

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